Tougher, Bolder, Better

The need for versatility has spawned a growth of new thermal transfer ribbons.

Many converters have come to accept that when working with thermal transfer printers, you can't always get what you want, especially in terms of the wax/resin materials being fed through the press. Inevitably, there are a slew of basic limitations with most of these ribbons where performance in one area may be top of the line, but in other areas the same material may be lacking fundamental qualities. For example, a wax resin may have good chemical resistance, but may smudge or scratch when rubbed. Or a ribbon may work well on low-end printers, but can't print at higher resolutions, leaving printers with an inventory of ribbon that only works on half of their projects.

Suppliers have begun to recognize these deficiencies amongst some of their products. In turn, they have begun creating wax/resin ribbons that not only answer most converting needs now, but also stay close to the cutting edge in order to remain compliant with new technology. At its 300,000 sq. ft. Amherst, N.Y. manufacturing facility, IIMAK believes it has created a ribbon that addresses virtually all the needs associated with premium printing on demand while maintaining broad application capability.

According to IIMAK, the new PM350 thermal transfer ribbon has a broad application capability and is extraordinarily tough, offering excellent durability. The strength of the ribbon creates a surface that protects labels from smudging when subjected to rough handling, abrasion, or mild chemicals. This high-performance, premium wax/resin ribbon is also noted for its excellent print quality on substrates ranging from paper, to a variety of synthetics. Not only does this allow distributors to confidently carry one product that solves many application problems, but convertors are not forced to maintain a large inventory of different ribbons.

Additionally, PM350 ribbons are designed with international commerce in mind, as printers throughout Europe and the Pacific Rim print on a wide variety of stocks, including uncoated paper (vellum), according to Judd Quimby, vice president of sales. In North America, there is a much more limited set of substrates, with more emphasis on print quality.

"With that in mind, IIMAK developers came up with a formulation that not only has outstanding print quality, but can also print on both rough and smooth stocks," says Quimby. "In fact, IIMAK has successfully tested PM350 on over 30 stocks."

Despite being extremely versatile, the ribbon still maintains areas of application where it is at its best. While it has proven the ability to get positive results under almost every environment, it is best suited to applications that are printing on synthetic paper or films, such as Valeron, Poly Art, Label-Lyte, or Kimdura. Typically, premium ribbons are used in applications that must withstand multiple scans, weather the elements outdoors, and remain durable when subjected to handling or the elements.

A perfect example of an application where PM350 ribbons thrive is in the horticulture industry where a specific plant's variety needs to be identified. Another is for labeling specific items on lumber, as it is usually subjected to a lot of banging around before it reaches the point of sale.

Adapting to new packaging needs

DAI Nippon Printing, based in Japan, America, and Denmark, also came to the conclusion that it needed to produce a thermal/transfer ribbon that would accommodate customers on three continents. Recognizing the growing popularity of flexible packaging, DNP recently released the "Flexible Family" line of products. These are new, as well as existing ribbons, that DNP has tested and found to work extremely well in flexible packaging applications.

The company's new sliver wax/resin ribbon for flexible packaging, the M295C Specialty Color Near Edge Wax/Resin, has already been chosen by many of America's largest snack food manufacturers to print lot and date codes, according to Emily Donovon, marketing communications coordinator. At about the same time, DNP also released the monochrome version called M295 Specialty Near Edge Wax/Resin. "M295 is a black wax/resin ribbon for near-edge printers that will offer DNP resellers an ultra low-cost wax/resin ribbon for flexible packaging applications," Donovon explains. "For the first time, thermal transfer is a more cost-effective print process over hot stamping."